Improvement in horse hay-forks



2 tinted 5mm @gutem @titi www' SAMUEL MILLER, *or

MOHAWK, NEW YORK.

To all whom it may con-cem Be it known that I, SAMUEL MILLER, of Mohawk, in the county of Herkimer, and State of New York, have invented'a newand improved Horse Hay-Fork; and'I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had'to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichf Figure l is a side vieu1 of Iny improved horse hayork.

Figure 2 is a detail Sectional view ofthe same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parte;

My invention has for -its object to furnish an improved horse hay-fork, simple in constructi0n,aud effective in operation; and

It consists in the construction and combination of the various parts, as hereinafter more fully described.

A is a short shaft, vupon the upper'end of which is formed an eye, or ring, a', for the attachment of the hoistingrope.

To the lower end ofthe shaft A is attached a triangular block, B, the lower endof which may be pointed, so that it may encounter less resistance when the fork is forced into the hay'.

To the faces of the triangular block B, are pivoted the tines O, the lower parts of which Aare curved, as shown in iig. 1.

The upper parts ofthe tines C are bent, or twisted, so as to bring their upper ends in a line with the shaft A.

To the upper ends of the tines O, are pivoted the lower ends of the connecting-rods, orbars, D, the `upper ends of which are pivoted to the collar E, which slides Aup and down upon'the shaft A, and which is kept from revolving upon the said shaft by the spring F, so that the points of the connecting-bars cannot bind in operating the fork. By this construction, the connecting-bars I) operate the tines C in the manner of toggle-joints.

F is a spring, side of4 the shaft The'v spring F which is attached longitudinally to the A, at the, central part of said spring. is so arranged, with reference tothe collar E and shaft A, that when the said collar is pushed down, so as to expand the, tines C to their full extent, the lower end of the spring F may catch upon the said collar, as shown in fig. 2, and hold the Vfork locked.

As the collar E is drawn up, theupper part of the spring F presses against it, soas to prevent not only the tines C from being expanded by the collar E dropping down, from its own weight, but also to prevent the tines from expandingtoo easily and quickly, when the fork is being pushed into the hay.

G is the tripping-arm, the inner end of which is pivoted, or hinged,to the collar E, directly over the groove in said collar, which receives the spring F, so that when the said arm is raised into a horizontal position, a projection, formed upon the inner .or pivoted end of the said arm, may press in the said spring F, allowing the tines G to be drawn together by the weight of the load as it slips from them.

H is the tripping-cord, one end of which is attached to the outer or free end of the arm G, and passes thence through the eye7 or ling, a', and down into such a position that itmay be conveniently reached and operated 'to trip the fork when desired.r

` In using the fork, it is thrust, whenl in the position shown in iig. 1, down into the hay or grain to be unloaded, the resistance of the hay and the curvature of the tines causing the said tines to gradually expand. Should the tines fullyexpand, while pushingthe fork down, the spring F will lockthem expanded. Should they not fully expand, the expansion may be completed by pressing down with the foot upon the end of the pivoted arm G.

Having thus described my inventign, I claim as new,

and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination of the spring F and pivoted tripping-arm G with thev slotted sliding collar E, pivoted arms D, curved arms C, and shaft A, operatingas described, for the purpose specified.

SAMUEL MILLER.

Witnesses:

VA. DJMARSHALL,

THOMAS CUNNINGHAM. 

